Home » General » Review of the Pei Wei Franchise Opp and Startup Costs

Review of the Pei Wei Franchise Opp and Startup Costs

One of the most popular restaurants in any community is the one that features traditional Asian cuisine with a twist here and there. With the speed that the modern world works, people want a fast delivery on an excellent end product and that’s what Pei Wei aims to give each customer when they place an order. Featuring stir-fry dishes that are seared in a wok, if you own this franchise, you’ll provide contemporary Asian cuisine in a hybrid quick service model.

Do you have a passion for excellent food? Do you love putting smiles on the faces of your customers as they taste some inspired foods in a fast, affordable way? If that sounds like you, then a Pei Wei franchise opportunity might be the perfect investment for you. Let’s take a look at some of the details.

What Is the Initial Required Investment?

This franchise opportunity, which originates from the home organization that also provides a full service restaurant option with the PF Chang’s brand, is available in a number of international markets, but is not available in the United States at this time. There are limited North American opportunities in Eastern Canada and Mexico to begin a franchise, as there are some in the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Central and South America.

The home company of Pei Wei is selectively pursuing each opportunity, so there are a number of different factors that will come into consideration as you decide to pursue this franchising opportunity. There are four key measures of success that are initially looked at with every international franchise application that is received:

1. Proven experience. Whether it is in the restaurant industry specifically or is just in the generic field of hospitality, PFCB looks for investors that have a successful and proven track record of success.

2. A solid business plan. PFCB will only consider franchisees who are looking to develop multiple units in their region. The minimum requirement is the ability to develop 5 PFCB brands in 5 years.

3. Financial resources. You must have the specific financial resources in your region to be able to develop these 5 units within 5 years, as well as be able to pool from a proven pool of talent to be able to get each unit to become a successful and integrated part of each community.

4. Culture. Part of going to a PFCB location is the experience that is received and this experience must fit in with the local culture. There must also be an internal culture developed by the franchisee in order to successfully execute the brand.

5 Other Opportunities Available Besides Pei Wei?

Do you want to avoid the potential headache of an international franchising arrangement? There are a few other Asian quick service cuisine franchises that might make more sense from a US domestic investment standpoint. Here are a select few of them for your consideration in no particular order:

1. Wok Box: Providing customers the chance to either dine in or carry out, this QSR model restaurant is primarily a Canadian franchise that is taking off like wildfire! You’ll find pan-Asian cuisine featuring fresh ingredients with unique internal sauces developed at the organization’s home kitchen. The initial cash required on hand is just $100k and this organization is actively looking for franchises throughout the United States right now.

2. Go-Grill: Combining the QSR Asian niche with the feel of a Mongolian grill type of restaurant, this franchise operates in 24 different countries and features a unique business plan that limits the amount of space that is required for success. Many locations are in kiosks that have as little as 200 square feet, but there are multiple store concepts that are perfect for a franchisees vision. The initial cash on-hand requirements are low too at just $60k per unit.

3. Teriyaki Madness: The madness from this franchise comes from the popular bowl concept that is featured worldwide in many quick service Asian restaurants. Financial assistance is available through third party assistance with this franchise and the minimum cash required is just $75k. It features a contemporary atmosphere and best of all, at the time of this writing, there are only two affiliate locations which means you’ve got the chance to do so good business in your community.

4. SanSai: What if you could combine the QSR concept with sushi? What SanSai wants to do is bring the nature of freshness into each neighborhood through the use of Asian fusion that features sushi dishes, contemporary and traditional Asian dishes, and a comprehensive support package that will help you locate and maximize the best location within your community. The initial investment is larger than others here at $200k and only 4 states in the West are available for development right now, but qualifying as a franchisee for this organization could reap major rewards down the road.

5. Samurai Sami’s: For a different take on the Teriyaki grill, Samurai Sam’s features primarily Japanese cuisine in the QSR market with numerous dishes featuring teriyaki sauce. This organization has been operating for two decades and requires franchisees to have a minimum of $100k on hand. Featuring the traditional bowls and proven methods to develop healthy dishes, you’ll receive a customized level of support as a franchisee that will help you hit the ground running and work to get toward profitably quickly.

Which investment opportunity is right for you? If you’re looking for an international investment opportunity, then the Pei Wei franchise presented by PFCB could be the perfect choice for you. If, however, you’re looking for a US domestic franchise opportunity that will let you be actively involved in your new business, then these other franchise opportunities could provide you with a better opportunity to achieve success.

Perform your due diligence, pick the right investment opportunity, and then take advantage of what the quick service Asian cuisine niche could provide your portfolio today.

About The Author
Although millions of people visit Brandon's blog each month, his path to success was not easy. Go here to read his incredible story, "From Disabled and $500k in Debt to a Pro Blogger with 5 Million Monthly Visitors." If you want to send Brandon a quick message, then visit his contact page here.